Store-service switch



(No Model.)

B. L. GILES. STORE SERVIOB SWITCH.

No. 299,180. Patented May 27, 1 884.

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EDVIN L. GILES, OF LOWELL, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON CASH RAILXVAY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STORE SERVICE SWiTCl-I.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,130, dated May 27, 1884:.

Application filed August 27, 1883. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWIN L. GILEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a switch such as is shown in United States Patent No. 128,962,

granted July 16, 1872, to Edward Keasbey; and it consists in an improvement whereby the operation of the same by spherical earriers is made more certain.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is I 5 an oblique View of the main track, converging tracks, and switch-rail, and the shippingrod pivoted to said switch-rail and sliding in a bracket or fulcrum secured to the inner rails, near their junction, the tracks being inclined from right to left; Fig. 2, a central sec tion of the track; Fig 3, a plan of the same.

The two tracks A A B B converge into one track, the outer rails, A 13, forming a single track with parallel rails from the point J. At the point where the inner rails meet, a tapering switch-rail, E, is pivoted at l The vertical sides of the switch-rail E converge to a thin edge, E, at its free end, and the switch-rail is just long enough to reach the point J on either rail of the single track A B, so that by swinging the point of the switch -rail against the rail B the track A A is made continuous with the single track A B, and by swinging the point E against the rail A the track B B is made continuous with said single track A B. A car having flanged wheels approaching the single track on either of the converging tracks will throw the switchrail into position (if it be not already in position) to allow the car to run onto the single track by t-he'flanges of the wheels striking the switch-rail.

In using spherical carriers (for instance, like those shown and described in the United 5 States Patent to Lamson, No. 243,451, dated June 28, 1881) on inclined ways, (similar to those described in the last-named patent, but

provided with branches inclined toward and converging into a single track, and having a switch-rail, as above described,) the carriers do not strike against the vertical sides of the switch-rail, but rather against the upper corner of the same, the distance between the inner edges of the rail being less than the diameter of the carriers, and unless the mechanism is nicely and eXpensively made and adjusted the carriers will frequently strike the switchrail and roll over it, falling upon the single track with some noise, and checking somewhat the motion of the carriers.

To make the operation of the switch rail more certain with such carriers, I pivot at F one end of a rod or wire, F, to the upper side of the switch-rail, about half-way between the point E and the pivot P of said switch-rail, and I carry the other end of the rod beyond the pivot P and run it through a hole, G, in a bracket or fulcrum, G, rigidly secured to the inner rails, A B, the hole G being large enough to allow the rod to slide in it and to turn slightly, and being located about midway between said inner rails. The rod F is bent upward slightly at F, near its 1)l"0l3 F, and is held above the switch rail, between the point F? and the bracket G. Evidently, if the 7 5 switch'rail be swung to either side, the rod will overhang the switch-rail on that side, and the rod being raised above the switch-rail, a spherical carrier which rides on the inner upper corners of the rails, or, in other words, a spherical carrier whose diameter is greater than the distance between the rails will, in running from one of the converging tracks onto the single track, if the switch be closed, strike the rod before reaching the pivot P and open the switch. It'is also evident that the carrier will strike the rod a more effectual blow than it would the switch-rail, because the rod is higher than the switch-rail, and the carrier strikes the rod nearer to the horizontal 9o diameters of said rod and carrier. Evidently the rod F may slide on or in the switch-rail, and the upper end (in Fig. 1 the left end) may be pivoted to the bracket Gthat is, the rod must be pivoted to the switch-rail and to the inner rails, but one end of the same must slide.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with two tracks which converge into a single track, of a movable switch-rail an d means whereby a spherical car- I00 rier tr veling one of said converging ways tod 3. The eolnbination'of the converging tracks, Ward said switch-rail will operate said switchthe single track, the bracket secured to the rail before coming in contact with the same. inner rails of said single track and provided 2. The combination of the two tracks conwith a hole, the switch-rail, and the rod piv- 5 verging into one, the movable switch-rail, and oted to said switch rail, as and for the purpose I 5 a movable rod placed above and pivoted to specified.

saidswitch-rail, between the ends of the same, 7 i EDWVIN L. GILES. and pivoted to the inner rails of said eonverg- \Vitnesses: ing tracks, said rod being adapted to slide at ALBERT M. MOORE,

10 one of said pivoted points. WILLIAM T. LAMSON. 

